Man-propelled vehicle, such as in particular a cycle

ABSTRACT

A man-propelled vehicle includes a frame with a seat, two pedals, and two hand-operated handles, each linked with the frame by actuating devices capable of communicating to them an alternating translational motion. The actuating devices are coupled with unidirectional rotary transmission devices on a drive shaft by links adapted to drive in rotation the rotary transmission device when the pedals and operating handles are actuated.

The invention relates to an engine, such as particularly a cycle, forhuman propulsion, comprising a longitudinal chassis provided, toward oneof its ends, with a seat provided with a backrest and, toward its otheropposite end, with a system of pedals adapted to be actuated by the feetby a user in seated position with the back supported by the backrest,said system of pedals being associated with transmission meansconnecting it to a drive shaft, adapted to translate the movement ofthis pedal system into a movement of rotation of said drive shaft.

Such engines, described particularly in the patents FR 811 916 and BE432 336, as to cycles, have the advantage of offering the user acomfortable "semi-reclining" position, whilst requiring an effortsimilar to or even less than that of conventional cycles.

However, such cycles do not permit optimizing the output of the effortsexerted by the user because of the "dead points" inherent in theirdesign, which correspond to positions of the pedals in which the forcetransmitted is reduced or even zero.

It is moreover to be noted, that at present, all the cycles on themarket designed to be used in a sitting position are provided with aconventional pedal system generally disposed at the front of the engine.As in those mentioned above, and because of the design of the pedalsystem, these cycles have "dead points" which do not permit optimizingthe output of the forces.

The present invention seeks to overcome all of the drawbacks citedabove, and has for its principal object to provide an engine optimizingthe output of the efforts exerted.

Another object is to provide an engine of simple design having moreovera small size.

Another object is to provide an engine which, because of its cycledesign, can easily be provided with arrangements for the transport ofall types of implements.

To this end, the invention provides an engine, such as particularly acycle, comprising a longitudinal chassis provided, toward one of itsends, with a seat provided with a backrest and, toward its opposite end,with a system of pedals adapted to be actuated by the feet by a user ina seated position with the back maintained by the backrest, said pedalsystem being associated with transmission means connecting it to a driveshaft, adapted to transform the movement of this pedal system into amovement of rotation of said drive shaft,

the pedal system comprising two pedals connected to the chassis byactuating means adapted to permit giving them an alternating movement oftranslation,

the transmission means comprising, for each pedal, a rotatable memberfor unidirectional transmission associated with resilient return means,carried by the drive shaft and connected to the actuating means by aconnection member adapted to drive in rotation said rotatable member andthe drive shaft, upon displacement of said pedal in a direction awayfrom this latter relative to the seat.

According to the invention, this engine is characterized in that itcomprises two handles adapted to be actuated manually, connected to thechassis by actuating means adapted to permit giving them an alternatingmovement of translation, the actuating means of each handle beingconnected to a rotatable member for unidirectional transmissionassociated with resilient means and carried by the drive shaft, by aconnection member adapted to drive in rotation said rotatable member andthe drive shaft, upon displacement of said handle in a direction awayfrom the seat.

In the first instance, such an engine permits using in an optimum mannerthe muscular power developed by the four extremities of the user. Thus,each extremity drives in alternating displacement in translation a pedalor a handle and actuates the associated transmission member which isactuated in a single direction of rotation. Thus, this engine permitsobtaining a developed force which is very much greater than thatobtained with present engines.

Moreover, there should be noted the simplicity of design of this engine,comprising a chassis, actuating means moveable relative to said chassis,and a unidirectional transmission member connected to each pedal and toeach handle.

Finally, there is to be noted the total independence it between theaction of the different members which permit wide liberty of use.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the actuatingmeans comprise, for each pedal and each handle, a carriage mountedslidably along the chassis.

Moreover, the two carriages of each pair of carriages are preferablyinterconnected by a flexible connection element associated with a returnmember secured to the chassis, disposed so as to maintain taut saidconnection element in the positions of the carriages in which theselatter are located symmetrically on opposite sides of the midpoint oftheir path.

Thus, the pushing force exerted by an extremity, a leg or an arm, duringits extension, adds to the tractive force of another extremity, whenthis latter is bent in synchronization with the extension of the firstextremity.

Moreover, according to a preferred embodiment, the engine comprisesresilient end-of-course members disposed so as to serve as abutments tothe carriages in the position of these latter farthest from the seat.

These resilient abutments have for their function to store up the powersupplied muscularly at the end of extension of the extremities, powerwhich will be a maximum and to restore the energy accumulated at thebeginning of the return phase of the carriages which corresponds to alesser applied muscle power.

Similarly, the engine comprises preferably resilient end-of-path membersdisposed so as to serve as abutments to the carriages in the position ofthese latter farthest from the seat.

Such resilient elements permit accumulating the tractive forces andrestoring them to obtain a greater pressure. They can moreover be usedin association with the resilient elements and the flexible connectionelements mentioned above.

Moreover, again with the object of optimizing output, each rotatableunidirectional transmission member preferably has a substantiallyovoidal shape, and is mounted eccentrically on the drive shaft such thatthe length of the lever between the axis of rotation of said drive shaftand the longitudinal axis of the force exerted on the carriage will beinversely proportional to the distance separating said carriage from theseat.

Thus, in the bent position of the extremities corresponding to the leastdeveloped force, the force to be supplied to carry out rotation of therotatable members will be less than that to be supplied at the end ofthe extension in which the developed force is a maximum.

Moreover, in its application as a cycle, in which the engine accordingto the invention comprises conventionally at least one driven rear wheelprovided with an axle having a free wheel connected by a chain to atleast one plate secured to the drive shaft, and a front wheel providedwith an axle mounted on a fork secured to a steering column, this enginecomprises preferably two handles articulated respectively each to theupper end of one of the handlebars, so as to be able to pivot about alongitudinal axis, said handles being connected to a steering barsecured to a steering tube by means of connection elements adapted toeffect the rotation of said steering bar and tube in a direction about avertical axis.

Moreover, within the framework of this cycle application, the plate ispreferably mounted on the drive shaft by means of a free wheel adaptedto permit driving in rotation said drive shaft only when the engine ismoving forward.

Other characteristics, objects and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent from the detailed description which follows, withreference to the accompanying drawings, which show by way ofnon-limiting examples two preferred embodiments. In these drawings,which form an integral part of the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cycle according to the invention,

FIG. 2a is a side view,

FIG. 2b is a detail on an enlarged scale, from FIG. 2a,

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross section in a vertical plane A, on anenlarged scale, showing the pedalcarrying carriages,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view from below of the chassis in line with thesteering tube,

FIG. 5 is an operating diagram of the manipulating means of the steeringtube,

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross section in a horizontal plane B of therear end of the chassis of the cycle.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view from above of a modified embodiment of acycle according to the invention, shown without its seat and without itsfront wheel,

and FIG. 8 is a transverse cross sectional view on the vertical plane C,on an enlarged scale of the chassis of this modified cycle.

The cycles according to the invention shown by way of example in thefigures are two-wheel cycles.

The cycle shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 comprises, in the first instance, achassis 1 comprising a longitudinal guide rail, constituted by a tubularprofile 2 of rectangular cross section, on each of the lateral surfacesof which are welded two profiles, such as 3, of T shaped arranged suchthat the stem of said T extends orthogonally relative to thecorresponding side surface of the tubular profile 2.

This chassis 1 carries, toward its front end, a conventional steeringcolumn 4 in the prolongation of which extends a fork 5 supporting theaxle of the front wheel 6.

Toward its rear end, the chassis 1 is prolonged by two tubular framessuch as 7, parallel to each other, each having a generally triangularshape. One of the sides of these frames defines a support 8 for thebackrest 9a of a seat 9 secured at the level of its seat 9b to thechassis 1, whilst the two other sides form two forks extending betweensaid support 8 and the axle of the rear wheel 10 of which they supportthe shaft carrying the free wheel 11.

These two frames 7 are connected, at the level of their apices locatedsubstantially in the rearward prolongation of the chassis 1, by a shaft12, a drive shaft, mounted in bearings, carrying the plate or platessuch as 13 of said cycle conventionally connected to the free wheel 11by a chain 14. Each plate 13 is moreover mounted on the drive shaft 12by means of a free wheel adapted to permit the cycle to move backward.

Along the chassis 1 are mounted four identical carriage slideways suchas 15, 16, associated two by two: two carriages 15 with foot actuationhaving each a pedal such as 17 and two carriages 16 for hand actuationhaving each a handlebar such as 18.

Each of these carriages 15, 16 is constituted by a profile of U shapeadapted to overlie one of the profiles 3 of T shape of the chassis 1.Moreover, each carriage 15, 16 has three pairs of rollers such as 19arranged to come into contact on opposite sides respectively of the stemand two wings of the profile 3 of the chassis, toward the end of saidstem and wings.

Moreover, the carriages 15 (or 16) of each pair are connected by a cable20 (or 21) associated with a return pulley 22 (or 23) with a verticalaxis secured below the chassis 1, arranged such that any displacement ofa carriage in one direction gives rise to the displacement of theassociated carriage in the other direction.

Moreover, each of the carriages 15, 16 is connected by a cable such as24, 25 of an adjustable length by any means known per se, to a pulley ofovoidal shape such as 26, 27 mounted about the drive shaft 12, each ofsaid pulleys constituting a rotatable member for unidirectionaltransmission of the free wheel system type, and being associated with anintegral return spring (not shown).

The operation of each of these ovoidal pulleys 26, 27 is to drive inrotation the drive shaft 12, upon displacement in the direction of thefront wheel 6 of the associated carriage 15, 16. During return of thecarriages 15, 16, these ovoidal pulleys 26, 27 are inoperative relativeto the drive shaft 12 and undergo a simple rotation under the action ofthe associated return spring.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 2b, these ovoidal pulleys 26, 27 are mountedeccentrically relative to the drive shaft 12 such that the lever armbetween the axis of this shaft and the axis of the force tending to giverise to rotation of said pulleys, will be of a variable length,preferably decreasing with the advance of the carriages 15, 16.

Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 2b and 6, the ovoidal pulleys 26 associatedwith the carriages 15 that are foot actuated, are smaller than those 27associated with the carriages 16 that are manually actuated.

Finally, as to carriages 15, 16, the chassis 1 carries resilientabutment members such as 28, 29 disposed so as to limit the forward pathof said carriages and to exert on these latter a force tending to pressthem backward.

Similarly, the carriage 1 carries resilient abutment members such as 60,61, disposed so as to limit the path toward the rear of the carriages15, 16 and to exert on these latter a force tending to press themforwardly.

The longitudinal position of these resilient abutment members 28, 29,60, 61 can moreover be adjusted as a function of the size of the user,particularly to limit the angle of rotation of the ovoidal pulleys 26,27.

Moreover, the handlebars 18 have a telescopic structure and comprise afixed section 18a constituted by an elbowed tube, and a movable section18b adapted to permit adjusting the height of said handlebars relativeto the chassis 1.

The movable section 18b of each of these handlebars 18 is moreoverextended by a handle 30, 31 articulated about a longitudinal axis.

Each of these handles 30, 31 is secured to the end of two cables,respectively 32, 33 and 34, 35, fixed symmetrically on opposite sides ofthe axis of articulation. The opposite end of these cables 32-35 isitself secured to a horizontal steering bar 36 of V shape secured to thesteering tube 4.

As shown in FIG. 5, the cables 32-35 are arranged such that, duringpivoting of a handle 30, 31, said cables cause the rotation of thesteering bar 36 in one direction or the other.

Finally, and in a known manner, the handles 30, 31 are provided withbrake handles such as 37 and members (not shown) for controlling thegear shift or gear shifts.

FIG. 7 shows a modification according to which the chassis isconstituted by a hollow cylindrical tube 38 bent so as to have the shapeof a fork whose elbowed end of 180° constitutes the front end of thecycle.

The two limbs 39, 40 of this fork 38 are moreover shaped such that saidfork has, longitudinally, three sections of different width: a frontsection 38a of minimum width along which the two limbs 39, 40 extendparallel to each other and substantially horizontally, an intermediatesection 38b of greater width than that of the front section 38a, alongwhich the limbs 39, 40 extend also parallel to each other andsubstantially horizontally, and a rear section 38c of maximum widthalong which the limbs 39, 40 have a first portion of a length in whichthey extend parallel and where the drive shaft 41 is located, and asecond portion of a length in which they converge toward each other soas to carry, toward their end, the shaft carrying the free wheel of therear wheel 42.

Moreover, this rear section 38c which constitutes the rear portion ofthe cycle carrying particularly the seat, is inclined downwardlyrelative to the front and intermediate sections 38a and 38b.

As shown in FIG. 8, each carriage 43 is constituted by a cylindricalcarriage disposed within the tube 38 of the chassis, provided with asecurement tongue for the pedal 44 or of the handlebar 45, extendingthrough a longitudinal slot provided in this tube.

Moreover, these carriages 43 and the tube 38 are provided with facinglongitudinal channels receiving ball bearings 46.

As shown in FIG. 7, the pedal-carrying carriages 44 are disposed so asto slide along the front section 38a of the chassis and are connected bya cable 47 associated with a return pulley 48 with a vertical axismounted toward the front end of said chassis.

The handlebar-carrying carriages 45 are themselves disposed slidablyalong the intermediate section 38b of the chassis and are connected by acable 49 associated with two return pulleys such as 50 mounted towardthe front end of said intermediate section.

Finally, as in the first embodiment, these carriages 43 are connected bycables such as 51, 52 to ovoidal pulleys such as 53, 54 carried by thedrive shaft 41.

It is moreover to be noted, that the tube 38 can have a rounded formother than circular, and that the carriages 43 can be slidably mountedabout this tube and not within this latter. Moreover, the sliding can beensured, instead of with ball bearings 46, by a Teflon/Teflon(trademark) contact, or an iron/bronze lubricated contact.

As is seen from the figures, such cycles have the advantage of havingsmall size. Moreover, because of their design, on the one hand, all thecables are integrated in the plane of the chassis and, on the otherhand, a large volume is available above this chassis permitting thecarrying of large loads.

Moreover, such cycles can be provided with any conventional accessoriessuch as a cowling.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cycle, comprising:a longitudinal chassisprovided, toward one end, with a seat provided with a backrest and,toward an opposite end, with a system of independent pedals adapted tobe actuated with the legs of a user in a seated position with the user'sback supported by the backrest, said pedal system being associated withtransmission means connecting said pedal system to a drive shaft,adapted to transform the movement of said pedal system into a movementof rotation about said drive shaft,said pedal system comprising twopedals connected to said chassis by first actuating means for givingsaid pedals an alternating movement of translation, said transmissionmeans comprising, for each of said pedals, a first rotatableunidirectional transmission member associated with first resilientreturn means, carried by said drive shaft and connected to said firstactuating means by a connection element adapted to drive in rotationsaid rotatable member and said drive shaft, upon displacement of saidpedals in a direction away from said seat; at least one rear drivenwheel provided with an axle having a free wheel connected by a chain toat least one plate secured to said drive shaft, and a front wheelprovided with an axle mounted on a fork secured to a steering column;two independent handlebars adapted to be actuated manually, connected tosaid chassis by second actuating means adapted to permit giving saidhandlebars an alternating movement of translation, said second actuatingmeans of each of said handlebars being connected to a second rotatableunidirectional transmission element associated with second resilientreturn means and carried by said drive shaft, by a connection elementadapted to drive in rotation said rotatable member and said drive shaft,upon displacements of said handlebar in a direction away from the seat,two handles articulated each respectively toward the upper end of thehandlebars, so as to be able to pivot about a longitudinal axis, saidhandles being connected to a manipulating bar secured to said steeringcolumn by means of connection elements adapted to cause the rotation ofsaid manipulating bar and said steering column about a verticalaxis,said first and second actuating means comprising, for each of saidpedals and each of said handlebars, a carriage mounted slidably alongsaid chassis, resilient end-of-path elements disposed so as to serve asabutments for said carriages in a position nearest said seat, whereineach of said first and second rotatable unidirectional transmissionmembers has a substantially ovoidal shape, and is mounted eccentricallyon said drive shaft such that the length of the lever arm between theaxis of rotation of said drive shaft and the longitudinal axis of theforce exerted on the respective one of said first and second activatingmeans will be inversely proportional to the distance separating therespective ones of said pedals and said handlebars from the seat.
 2. Thecycle according to claim 1, wherein each pair of said carriages areinterconnected by a flexible connection element associated with a returnelement secured to said chassis, disposed so as to maintain taut saidconnection element in the positions of said carriages in which theselatter are located symmetrically on opposite sides of the midpoint oftheir path.
 3. The cycle according to claim 1, wherein each of saidrotatable unidirectional transmission members comprises a pulley ofovoidal shape connected to the respective said actuating means by acable.
 4. The cycle according to claim 1, wherein said at least oneplate is mounted on said drive shaft by means of a free wheel adapted topermit driving in rotation said drive shaft only when the cycle movesforwardly.
 5. A cycle, comprising:a longitudinal chassis provided,toward one end, with a seat provided with a backrest and, toward anopposite end, with a system of independent pedals adapted to be actuatedwith the legs of a user in a seated position with the user's backsupported by the backrest, said pedal system being associated withtransmission means connecting said pedal system to a drive shaft,adapted to transform the movement of said pedal system into a movementof rotation about said drive shaft,said pedal system comprising twopedals connected to said chassis by first actuating means for givingsaid pedals an alternating movement of translation, said transmissionmeans comprising, for each of said pedals, a first rotatableunidirectional transmission member associated with first resilientreturn means, carried by said drive shaft and connected to said firstactuating means by a connection element adapted to drive in rotationsaid rotatable member and said drive shaft, upon displacement of saidpedals in a direction away from said seat; at least one rear drivenwheel provided with an axle having a free wheel connected by a chain toat least one plate secured to said drive shaft, and a front wheelprovided with an axle mounted on a fork secured to a steering column;two independent handlebars adapted to be actuated manually, connected tosaid chassis by second actuating means adapted to permit giving saidhandlebars an alternating movement of translation, said second actuatingmeans of each of said handlebars being connected to a second rotatableunidirectional transmission element associated with second resilientreturn means and carried by said drive shaft, by a connection elementadapted to drive in rotation said rotatable member and said drive shaft,upon displacements of said handlebar in a direction away from the seat,two handles articulated each respectively toward the upper end of thehandlebars, so as to be able to pivot about a longitudinal axis, saidhandles being connected to a manipulating bar secured to said steeringcolumn by means of connection elements adapted to cause the rotation ofsaid manipulating bar and said steering column about a vertical axis,wherein each of said first and second rotatable unidirectionaltransmission members has a substantially ovoidal shape, and is mountedeccentrically on said drive shaft such that the length of the lever armbetween the axis of rotation of said drive shaft and the longitudinalaxis of the force exerted on the respective one of said first and secondactuating means will be inversely proportional to the distanceseparating the respective ones of said pedals and said handlebars fromthe seat.
 6. The cycle according to claim 5, said first and secondactuating means comprising, for each of said pedals and each of saidhandlebars, a carriage mounted slidably along said chassis, furthercomprising resilient end-of-path elements disposed so as to serve as anabutment for said carriage in a position farthest from said seat.
 7. Acycle, comprising:a longitudinal chassis provided, toward one end, witha seat provided with a backrest and, toward an opposite end, with asystem of independent pedals adapted to be actuated with the legs of auser in a seated position with the user's back supported by thebackrest, said pedal system being associated with transmission meansconnecting said pedal system to a drive shaft, adapted to transform themovement of said pedal system into a movement of rotation about saiddrive shaft,said pedal system comprising two pedals connected to saidchassis by first actuating means for giving said pedals an alternatingmovement of translation, said transmission means comprising, for each ofsaid pedals, a first rotatable unidirectional transmission memberassociated with first resilient return means, carried by said driveshaft and connected to said first actuating means by a connectionelement adapted to drive in rotation said rotatable member and saiddrive shaft, upon displacement of said pedals in a direction away fromsaid seat; at least one rear driven wheel provided with an axle having afree wheel connected by a chain to at least one plate secured to saiddrive shaft, and a front wheel provided with an axle mounted on a forksecured to a steering column; two independent handlebars adapted to beactuated manually, connected to said chassis by second actuating meansadapted to permit giving said handlebars an alternating movement oftranslation, said second actuating means of each of said handlebarsbeing connected to a second rotatable unidirectional transmissionelement associated with second resilient return means and carried bysaid drive shaft, by a connection element adapted to drive in rotationsaid rotatable member and said drive shaft, upon displacements of saidhandlebar in a direction away from the seat; and two handles articulatedeach respectively toward the upper end of the handlebars, so as to beable to pivot about a longitudinal axis, said handles being connected toa manipulating bar secured to said steering column by means ofconnection elements adapted to cause the rotation of said manipulatingbar and said steering column about a vertical axis, said first andsecond actuating means comprising, for each of said pedals and each ofsaid handlebars, a carriage mounted slidably along said chassis, whereineach pair of said carriages are interconnected by a flexible connectionelement associated with a return element secured to said chassis,disposed so as to maintain taut said connection element in the positionsof said carriages in which these latter are located symmetrically onopposite sides of the midpoint of their path.
 8. The cycle according toclaim 7, further comprising resilient end-of-path elements disposed soas to serve as abutments for said carriage in a position nearest saidseat.
 9. The cycle of claim 7, wherein each of said first and secondrotatable unidirectional transmission members has a substantiallyovoidal shape, and is mounted eccentrically on said drive shaft suchthat the length of the lever arm between the axis of rotation of saiddrive shaft and the longitudinal axis of the force exerted on therespective one of said first and second actuating means will beinversely proportional to the distance separating the respective one ofsaid pedals and said handlebars from the seat.
 10. The cycle accordingto claim 9, wherein each of said rotatable unidirectional transmissionmembers comprises a pulley of ovoidal shape connected to the respectivesaid actuating means by a cable.